If you’ve ever been stuck awake at night, caught in a loop of thoughts or memories, you’re certainly not alone. Whether it’s at bedtime or waking up in the middle of the night, the mind can feel like it has its own unhelpful agenda. At Empower Counselling Services, we understand this common struggle. Alongside foundational sleep habits like a consistent routine and a dark, quiet room (for more comprehensive tips, consult reliable resources like the CDC’s Sleep Hygiene Guide), our therapy team in Winnipeg has discovered surprisingly effective strategies that blend simple, visual techniques with how our minds process information.
Before we dive into these practical tools for sleep support, let’s clarify a couple of key concepts we often discuss in our individual therapy sessions here in Manitoba:
- Working Memory: Imagine your working memory as your brain’s temporary mental workspace or “scratchpad.” It’s where you hold and actively process information for brief periods – like remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it, or following the steps in a recipe. This mental space has a limited capacity, and when it’s overflowing with unhelpful thoughts, it can absolutely keep you awake. For a deeper dive into how this vital cognitive function works, explore academic resources such as those from Western University.
- Thought Diffusion (or Cognitive Diffusion): This powerful technique isn’t about eradicating thoughts, but rather about transforming your relationship with them. Instead of becoming “stuck” or “fused” with a thought (treating it as an undeniable truth or command), thought diffusion helps you observe your thoughts as separate from you, like clouds drifting by, reducing their power. This concept is a core element of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a highly effective approach used by many of our counsellors in Winnipeg, as highlighted by The University of Sydney.
Here at Empower Counselling Services, we’ve found that by strategically engaging your working memory and practicing thought diffusion, you can gently guide your mind away from those stubborn loops, fostering the calm needed for rest.
Let’s start with a relatable problem: a song stuck in your head. When this happens, I’ve found that starting a new song helps. I briefly hum it, maybe visualize the lyrics, and then jump to another. After a few quick switches, something strange happens — I can’t even recall the first one that was stuck. That’s working memory redirection in action. You deliberately fill your brain’s scratchpad with fresh, neutral stimuli, and the original loop simply loses its hold.
Now, let’s apply that potent idea to those persistent thoughts at bedtime.
The Drone Visualization Technique for Quieting the Mind
Here’s the basic concept for this visual calming exercise, often recommended in our therapy for individuals struggling with an overactive mind:
When you’re lying in bed trying to fall asleep — or you’ve woken up in the middle of the night — visualize yourself flying, or being, a drone. But this isn’t just any drone. It’s silent, smooth, and carries your awareness like a passenger over a tranquil landscape.
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Gently Fly Over Positive Visual Memories:
Imagine gliding over still images of positive past experiences. Focus not on the emotions, data, or details or the story, but just the visual snapshot, like a still-image you took:- You’re flying toward the memory or image.
- The image appears in the distance.
- You get closer.
- You fly over it and glance down.
- Then you move past it, perhaps glance back briefly, but then shift your vision forward.
- Don’t stop. Don’t dive into the memory, or data. Don’t analyze. Just keep flying.
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Maintain Motion, Never Linger:
The core of this technique isn’t just the positivity, but the continuous motion. The continual shift from image to image keeps your working memory engaged — and that’s the precise goal. It functions like mental white noise, expertly crowding out the looping, unhelpful thoughts that so often elevate cortisol and keep you alert. -
Gracefully Navigate Negative Images:
Sometimes, negative or intrusive memories might surface. That’s perfectly okay. The point isn’t to suppress them, which can often be counterproductive.- Instead: Simply choose not to “look down” at them.
- Direct your gaze to the horizon.
- Allow a positive visual to gently come into view and guide your attention forward. This isn’t avoidance. It’s a deliberate choice. You’re training your attention to follow a constructive pathway — not by force, but by allowing a natural flow.
Nature Scenery Works Beautifully Too
If personal memories feel hard to access or are too emotionally charged, try nature scenes:
- Vast forests you’ve seen in documentaries.
- Serene beaches you’ve imagined.
- Majestic mountains from travel shows.
- Peaceful landscapes you’ve invented yourself.
- Stick exclusively with the visual. Avoid turning it into a story. Don’t insert characters. Don’t let your mind “talk” about it. You’re simply flying, observing, and moving onward.
The “Flashing Thoughts” Method: A Faster Pace to Release
For those nights when a specific, nagging thought or a lingering “embarrassing moment” (like that “wrong thing you said yesterday”) feels particularly tenacious, a more rapid-fire approach can be incredibly effective. This method emphasizes speed and detachment, allowing your working memory to quickly cycle through and degrade the emotional hold of the thought.
Here’s how to practice “Flashing Thoughts” for quicker relief:
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Acknowledge and Objectify:
When a thought arises – perhaps, “I can’t believe I said that,” or “My presentation tomorrow is going to be terrible” – resist the urge to engage with its content, or data. Instead, immediately transform it into a fleeting visual object.- Words on a Wall: Picture the core words of the thought (e.g., “Said that”) briefly appearing on a mental wall, like a quickly projected slide.
- Floating Cloud: See the thought (e.g., “Bad presentation”) as words or an image on a fluffy cloud, drifting effortlessly across your mental sky.
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Immediate Transition:
Never Linger. This is the absolute crucial step: never lingering. As soon as the thought-object appears, your mind immediately moves on to the next thought, or even just a blank space, and then the next. This isn’t about solving the thought; it’s about seeing it, acknowledging its presence for a millisecond, and then letting it go.- Think of it like briefly moving your hand over a burning candle. If you linger, you’ll get burned. But if you move your hand swiftly over the flame, you notice the heat, but you’re unharmed. Your thoughts, especially the uncomfortable ones, are like that flame. You acknowledge their presence, but you don’t dwell. You don’t get “burned” by them.
- If another thought about the “wrong thing” pops up, immediately project those words on another wall, or watch another cloud float by.
- The goal is a constant, rapid parade of mental imagery, almost like flipping through a deck of cards too quickly to focus on any single one.
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Sinking into Softness:
While you’re rapidly flashing these thoughts, simultaneously foster a gentle awareness of your body and the natural process of falling asleep.- Picture yourself drifting into a soft and deep slowing of consciousness. This might look like your body sinking into a plush mattress, dissolving into a warm bath, or floating effortlessly in calm water.
- This dual focus – rapid thought processing and gentle body awareness – further engages your working memory. One part is busy with the quick mental flashes, the other is inviting the physical sensations of sleep.
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The “Override” Effect:
This technique works by saturating your working memory with high-speed, low-engagement visual data. The sheer volume and swift pace of the “flashing” prevents any single intrusive thought, especially emotionally charged ones like embarrassment or regret, from “sticking” and initiating a rumination loop. You are actively overriding its ability to take hold by denying it the mental space and time to develop. It’s akin to trying to listen to a single radio station when you’re rapidly scanning through all the channels.
A Recent Example of Finding Calm:
Just the other night, I found myself wide awake around 3 AM, my mind fixated on a minor social blunder from a conversation earlier that day. Every time I tried to relax, the memory would flash, accompanied by a wave of low grade embarrassment. Instead of fighting it, I decided to try the “Flashing Thoughts” method. I pictured the offending phrase quickly appearing and dissolving on a dark mental screen, then another, then a blank space, then the outline of a tree. Simultaneously, I focused on the feeling of my body sinking deeper into the mattress with each exhale. Within what felt like minutes, the “blunder” thought lost its intensity, and the parade of fleeting images became less distinct until I was simply aware of my body sinking, and then, peacefully, I drifted off to sleep. It was a clear reminder that “A single step of courage today can ripple-effect unimagined potential and positive change tomorrow” — Co-Founder Vern Kehler.
Why These Powerful Techniques Work
These techniques, often explored in our anxiety therapy and individual counselling offerings, blend working memory redirection with cognitive diffusion, a core concept from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Here’s what’s happening on a deeper level:
- Working memory is limited:
If you flood it with benign, moving visual content (like the drone’s journey) or rapidly shifting, low-engagement imagery (the flashing thoughts), there’s less room for the intrusive or looping thoughts that tend to keep you awake. - You’re not suppressing thoughts:
Suppression often backfires, making thoughts more persistent. Instead, you’re gently shifting your focus, which is a more sustainable and less stressful approach to mental health support. - Motion interrupts rumination:
Rumination thrives on stillness and stagnation. But visual movement — even imagined — can help disrupt that stuck feeling, whether it’s the continuous drone flight or the rapid succession of “flashing” thoughts. - Cognitive Diffusion in Action:
By externalizing the thoughts (seeing words on a wall, or clouds floating by), you’re actively practicing cognitive diffusion. You’re observing your thoughts rather than being entangled in them, significantly reducing their power over your emotional state and your ability to relax. Research on mindfulness and sleep, which shares principles with thought diffusion, consistently supports these benefits, as noted by Mindful.org.
A Gentle Hack, Not a Cure-All – Your Path to Support
These aren’t cures or a replacement for chronic insomnia, complex trauma therapy, or severe anxiety support. For profound challenges like PTSD therapy or CPTSD therapy, or persistent sleep issues stemming from deeper roots, professional trauma healing or specialized counselling services in Winnipeg are essential. However, for the garden-variety nighttime mind loops — stress about work, random regrets, the to-do list, or even looping thoughts about “the wrong thing” you said yesterday — these visualization techniques can be incredibly helpful tools.
They are simple. They are accessible. And most importantly, they don’t rely on fighting your thoughts. They invite you to fly past them, or to let them flash by.
Try them tonight. Picture your drone. Let a beautiful image appear in the distance. Fly toward it. Look down. Look forward. Or, let a bothersome thought flash on a wall, and immediately let it go, while you feel yourself sinking into softness. Repeat. Sleep may be just a few images away.
If persistent sleep difficulties or intrusive thoughts are significantly impacting your daily life, mood, or relationships, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional for personalized support. These techniques are valuable self-help tools, but they are not substitutes for professional treatment.
At Empower Counselling Services, we believe that “moving forward by healing from your painful past and investing in your health and well-being is the best gift you can give yourself. Today is always the best day to get started” — Co-Founder Liona Kehler.
Ready to explore how our therapy services in Winnipeg can help you manage your thoughts and improve your sleep? We offer both online therapy and in-person counselling in Winnipeg at our comfortable office. Take the first step toward feeling seen, heard, and understood. You can also learn more about our EMDR therapy, offered by Vern Kehler, and or talk therapy approaches offered by Liona Kehler, Co-Founders of Empower Counselling Services, on our About Us page. Have more questions? Visit our FAQs about therapy page for answers.
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